Hair cutters



A. N. SPANEL HAIR CUTTERS Jan. 24, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27 1951 INVENTOR. ABRAHAM N.|5PANEL. %4 M 14;, ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 24, 1956 SPANEL, 2,731,717

HAIR CUTTERS Filed June 27 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ABRAHAM NSPANEL.

M WW4.

fi ATTORNEYS.

A. N. SPANEL Jan. 24, 1956 HAIR CUTTERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 27 INVENTOR. JPANEL ms ATORNEKS.

ABRAHAM lV.

Corporation, ware Application June 27, 1951, Serial No. 233,775 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 12, 1950 15 Claims. (CI. 30-31) Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Dela- This invention relates to hair cutters especially adapted for home use for complete hair cutting, as well as for trimming the human hair; and more particularly, to hair cutters wherein cutting blades are employed with complete safety, as the cutting element.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide generally in a hair cutting device, having projecting tines, means for avoiding the impingement of the cut hair within the device while allowing the blade to be supported in adjustable positions which will make available wide variation in the depth of cut, and permit the edge of the blade to be placed in close proximity and held in parallelism to the front of the tines; to provide means for allowing the cut or uncut hair to move freely through the hair cutter; to provide a blade position fixing means for securing the blade to the hair cutter so that the blade may be replaced without separating the hair cutter into its component parts; to provide a hair cutter having the foregoing characteristics with either single or double cutting zones having tines conventhe accompanying drawings hereinafter referred to and in which Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a hair cutting device embodying my invention, looking toward one face thereof, which for convenience will be referred to as the upper face;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken at 22 of Fig. l but showing a different position of adjustment of said device;

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view taken at 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an outer end view of a device showing certain modifications of the device shown in Figs. 13, inclusive, more especially relative to the cage construction;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the cage of the device of Fig. 4 showing the opposite end of the cage;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification of the cage and supporting means of the device shown in Figs. 1-3 to illustrate a form of removable cage;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a Fig. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken at line 8-8 of the device shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 9-9 of the device shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an end view, partly in section, of a wire cage, each wire tine being disposed entirely on one side of the blade to form an opening at the cutting edge through which the blade may be projected;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a sheet metal cage, the tines of which are twisted at their base;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of the sheet metal cage illustrated in Fig. 11 before the tines are twisted as aforesaid;

Fig. 13 is an end view, partly in section, of a completed hair cutter provided with the sheet metal cage of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a view corresponding to Fig. 13 but showing a variation in which the cage is disposed entirely on one side of the blade so as to utilize both edges of a double blade;

Fig. 14a is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 14b is a longitudinal sectional view taken at 14b 14b of Fig. 141:; and

Fig. 15 is an end view of a device showing a simplified form of cage adjustment.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. l-3, inclusive, the device comprises in general a blade holder assembly or blade position fixing means designated in its entirety as 1, for holding a designated 2 which in the present embodiment is relaactuating the driving mechanism for effecting movement of the holder 1 and blade 2 relative to the cage 3 in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis designated A-A (Fig. 1), so as to set the cutting edges in the desired position with respect to either edge of the cage for left or right hand use in cutting ones own hair and for either cutting hair short or long.

In Fig. l the blade is disposed toward one edge of the cage, approaching but not yet at one extreme position for close-cutting on the right side of the users head, while upper, lower, top, bottom, rear are relaparticularly to Figs. 2. and 3, furwill be described. The handle 4 half 6 and an upper half parts together, such as by crimping, welding, soldering, brazing or other known ways. The handle part 6 is provided with transversely outwardly extending wings such as 8 (Fig. 1) presenting on the inside face surfaces lying in the same plane. The part 6 is also provided with a flanged channel portion of reduced width having flanges 10 (Fig. 2) and an outwardly disposed channel 11 which serves as the spine for the cage 3, in the manner to be more particularly described followmg.

Part 6 terminates at its outer extremity in a T-shaped portion 12 provided with a grooved guideway in alignment with the plane in which the inner surfaces of the members 3 are disposed and extending in a transverse direction.

any to the wings 8 of the handle-part 6, the wings 13 terminating at their inner ends in a continuous channel 14 in the general shape of an inverted truncated V, as viewed in Fig. 3. The channel 14 cooperates with the Wings 8 to provide a guideway parallel to the guideway 12; and these guideways jointly cooperate to support and guide the plate holder 1 in its adjustable movement with respect to the handle 4 and the cage 3 rigidly secured thereto. A bearing block 15 (Fig. 2) is rigidly secured in the channel of the handle-part 7 serving as a journal bearing for a spur shaft 16 whose opposite end is journaled in the handle-part 6. With the parts in assembled position, as shown in Fig. 3, the upper end of shaft 16 extends outwardly beyond part 7 and carries rigidly fixed thereto the adjusting knob whose under surface is provided with a series of radially extending circumferentially spaced detent recesses 17 adapted'to be engaged by a detent point 18 provided on a spring detent arm 19 secured at its opposite end to the outer face of handle-part 7, as'by the rivet 20. The pinion shaft 16 carries a pinion gear 21 disposed within the concavity of the handle-part 6 and adapted to drive the blade holder 1 in the manner to be hereinafter described.

BLADE HOLDER The blade holder assembly 1 comprises (Figs. 2 and 3) a slide plate 22 whose inner end is provided with a gear rack 23 in driven engagement with the pinion 21 and adjacent the gear rack the slide member 22 is provided with a rib guide 24 in the form of an inverted truncated V channel, as viewed in Fig. 3, complementary to and in sliding engagement within the guideway 14. The outer end of the slide plate 22 is parallel to and disposed within the cooperating guidcway 12. Clamp studs such as 25 are fixed in the slide plate 22 at their lower ends and are provided with flanged heads such as 26 (Fig. 2) for locking engagement with a blade clamp plate 27 which is preferably concavoconvex in'a transverse direction to provide resilient clamping of the blade 3 in position on the plate 22. The clamp plate 27 is provided with slots such as 28 to slidingly engage the shank of the clamp studs 25 and terminating in enlarged openings sufficient to pass over the flanged heads 26 of said studs. The'outer end of the clamp plate 27 is provided with an upwardly extending finger engageable piece 29 to facilitate insertion and removal of a cutting blade such as 2. When the blade is in position in the blade holder assembly its cutting edges are disposed in a cutting path, in the present embodiment being a plane substantially parallel to the plane defining the inner faces of wings 13, this path being designated in Fig. 2 by the line CP; and the cutting edges of the blade 2 extend outwardly beyond the holder on respectively opposite sides thereof and terminate in cutting edge zones lying in the cutting plane and whose lateral positions are defined respectively by the lines EZ and EZ (Fig. 2); the line EZ defining the rear" zone and the line EZ the front zone for any position of adjustmeat.

It will thus be seen that with the cutting blade holder in assembled position it is guided for movement in a direction parallel to a given apth, such as the plane CP, and transverse to the longitudinal axis A-A in a direction normal thereto. The importance of this controlled movement will be made evident hereinafter.

CAGE

The cage 3 comprises a plurality of wire ribs such as 30 extending in side-by-side relationship and which are spaced apart substantially equidistant relative to the iongitudinal axis A-A and in the present embodiment these ribs are spaced apart A1, since I have found that this spacing is desirable for safety and utility in generai use. These wires are curvilinear in cross-section, being round in the present embodiment. These ribs extend across the lower face (Figs. 2 and 3) of the cutting plane and are each provided with oppositely disposed loop portions extending respectively across the cutting edge zones and then toward each other in an upward and inward direction so as to lie across a part of the other face of the cutting plane. The ribs 30 are rigidly secured to the previously mentioned channel 11 preferably by being inserted in snugly fitting parallel slots and by being locked therein such as by upsetting the metal around the slots, or by soldering, brazing or other suitable means. The ribs are further reinforced and held in spaced relation by clamping or spacing strips 31-32 which are spaced apart to provide a substantial opening opposite the upper face (as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3). In the preferred embodiment the ribs and reinforcing bars or strips 31-32 are formed and assembled in more or less grid formation. The ribs may be made from a continuous strip of wire bent back and forth and clamped in fixed. position by the strips 31--32 to provide the desired rib spacing, or the ribs may be made as separate pieces whose ends are fixed in position by strips 31-32.

in order to prevent or reduce the clogging of cut hairs between the lower face of the holder 1 and blade 2, and the adjacent front portions of the cage wires 30,. or from jamming against the channel 11, the following provision is made to provide greater clearance. (Figs. 2 and 3), on the lower face of the cage, extend from the bights 33-34 toward the channel 11, so as to define wide angles with the cutting plane C--P and then are bent at shoulders, such as 36, toward the channel 11 along legs, such as 37, with their centrally disposed attachment portions, suchas 38, fixed to the channel 11 as above described. between the channel 11 and theproximate rib portions or shoulders 36 intermediate the said bights 33-34; thus permitting cut hair to pass outwardly of the cage on the.

lower face thereof between the ribs and over the channel 11, the portions 37 providing a grid-like passage. The wire tines being oifset from the frame, enables the hair to be freely positioned between tines, and within the cage, for cutting, as the tines move over the scalp. Both the cut and uncut hair may then pass through the space S, between the tines.

i have found that the angle 9 (Fig. 2) defined between the plane C-P and the face of the cage 3 which acts as a guide surface (such as the outer lower surface of the cage) must not be less than 10 nor more than 45, and preferably between 20 and 35. This angle is also critical in the modifications and embodiments to be hereinafter discussed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the cage provides two series of wire-loop tines disposed respectively over the oppositely disposed cutting. edge zones of the blade and it is especially to be noted that the bights, such as 33-434,v of the respective series have their outermost extremities disposed in alignment conterminous substantially parallel to the cutting zones defined by cutting edges of the blade, and it is important, for the reasons to be noted hereinafter, that the outermost extremities of the bights 33-34 be disposed substantially in the cutting plane. This arrangement is surprisingly effective for the purposes intended since the tines serve to separate the hair to be cut and to guide the cutting edges to the hair, while serving additionally to predetermine the length of hair remaining after the cut in accordance with the relative adjustment between the cage and the operative edge of the blade that is carried by the holder. As a further feature of great importance a free space is provided within the cage adjacent to the cutting edges to minimize the bunching of cut hair at the cutting edges and avoid impinging the cut hair between blade and tines; and the opening between the cage members 31--32 on the top of the cage and the grid-like passage disposed adjacent the channel 11 on the bottom of the cage, as well as the open ends of the cage, providing for passage of the cut hair from the cage.

In the present embodiment the transverse width of the cage, designated W, is about 1 /2" and this has been found to give excellent results with the conventional width razor blade; the adjustability permitting hair to be cut toany length from a very close cut to a relatively long cut. in the present embodiment the distance from the lower face of the cage to the cutting plane (which distance is designated H in Fig. 2) is approximately A"; which has been found to give excellent results, facilitating the handling of the device and grading of the hair while at the same time providing good clearance for the passage of cut hairs.

The wire ribs 30 This provides a space S (Fig. 3)

(hitting conditions are satisfactorily met when the wires extend between the bights along a gradual curve passing across the outer face of channel 11, where the distance H would be about (see Fig. 4). It is further noted that it is an important feature of the invention to be able to cut relatively short hair and for this reason the cutting edges of the blades should be capable of being disposed in close proximity to the exterior convexity of the bights 3334. I have found that the preferred thickness of the bights of the order of .0l5.030. It is contemplated that the necessary thinness at the bight of the tines can be obtained by using heavier wire and either swedging the loops at the bight to give said thin dimension of from .0l5-.030 or by using wire oval or oblong in cross-section whose minor axis dimension is .015.030" and whose major axis may be greater. Said thin dimension in the bight can also be provided by cutting or suitable abrasive action even to a thinness of .015". It is further desirable that the bights of the tines be rounded so as not to scratch the scalp. This roundness or curvature should follow a small radius; so that the tine ends, while riding over the scalp or skin without scratching, will permit the cutting blade to be disposed firmly thereaga'mst in widely varying angularity.

OPERATION With the device constructed and arranged as above described it is held in the hand in the position indicated in Fig. l and with the thumb the knob 5 may be readily moved in one direction or the other to adjust the cutting blade to the desired position. If the device is held in the right hand for operation on the right side of ones own head a point Where the hair is to be cut short the knob 5 is adjusted in an anti-clockwise direction so as to move the blade from central position to the position shown in Fig. 1 where it is disposed near the limit of its movement, comparable to the position shown in Fig. 2. The tines adjacent the outwardly disposed cutting edge are then passed through the hair with the tines resting against the scalp and with the front face of the cage disposed adjacent or against the hair. If it is desired to make a less close out the knob 5 is rotated in a clockwise direction to the desired position. When the other side of the head is to be operated upon the device may be shifted to the left hand and the blade adjusted toward the oppoits application and operated with adjustability by either hand with ease and rapidity.

It will be noted that the gear rack 23 is disposed on the inner edge of the slide plate 22 with its teeth engaged by the vertically extending teeth on the pinion 22 and rotatable about a vertical axis. In this arrangement the driving force delivered by the pinion gear 21 is exerted in a direction substantially parallel to the plane in which the blade holder slides and thus relieves frictional pressure between the slide plate 22 and the wings 8. The guide portions 14, 24 serve to accurately hold the gear rack 23 and pinion 21 in proper register for easy operation, as well as for accurately holding the cutting edges of the blade 2 in proper alignment with the cage 1. The beveled knurled periphery of the thumb Wheel 5 not only provides for easy thumb tip operation of the movable assembly but being rotatable in the plane of the handle permits the use of a relatively large diameter wheel 5 for better leverage without substantially increasing the over-all thickness of the device. Thus the thumb may be swung to the right or left of the wheel 5 and pushed tangentially thereto to adjust the blade, requiring less effort in causing the wheel to operate as the thumb swings to the right or to the left than would be necessary if the axis of the wheel were at right angles thereto.

M ODIF ICAT] 0N8 OF CAGE End supported cage (Figs. 4 and 5 In this embodiment (Figs. 4 and 5) the device is identical with that above described with reference to Figs. 1-3, inclusive, with the exception of the cage contour and mounting. To avoid needless repetition and to facilitate a ready comparison, parts of this embodiment identical with or similar to corresponding parts of the previous embodiment will be designated in the drawings by three digits in which the units and tens digits will be the same as used on the respectively corresponding parts of Figs. 1-3; and only the differences between this and the previously described embodiment will be here described. Inthis embodiment instead of the cage being mounted on and supported from the center of its ribs on a spine provided by the frame channel portion 211, it is supported from the guide channel 212 and a companion guideway 214 in the following manner. A cage clamping strip 231 (Fig. 5) has its outer and inner ends extended to provide respective arms 231a and 2311) (Figs. 4 and 5) bent outwardly and downwardly with their lower extremities rigidly secured, as by welding or soldering to respective guide channels 212 and 214. The corresponding cage clamping strip 232 has corresponding oppositely disposed arms 232a and 1232b similarly supported. The outer arms 231a and 232a are bowed outwardly sufficiently to provide ample space for the insertion and removal of the blade holder plate 227 and cutting blade 202 when disposed in their central position.

In this embodiment the portions of the wire ribs 230 intermediate the bights 233-434 (Figs. 4 and 5) follow a smooth continuous curve passing across the frame channel portion 211 in spaced relationship thereto; so that the wire ribs are supported only from their ends engaging the cage clamping strips 231 and 232. This provides, in a simple manner, ample clearance for the hair both between the tines themselves and between tines and the blade holder, and presents a pleasing appearance as well as suliicient structural support for the wire ribs.

Slidably removable cage (Fig. 6)

Fig. 6 illustrates a device in all respects identical with that described in connection with Figs. 1-3, except for the provision of a removable cage. The same system of identifying identical and corresponding similar parts will be employed as in the immediately preceding embodiment. Here the main frame channel portion is designated as 311, provided with flanges 310 and 310, and the complementary slidably removable channel or cage spine as 311; and the remaining parts, which are identical with the embodiment of Figs. 13, are correspondingly identified by the units and tens digits to which has been added the hundreds digit 3.

It will be obvious that instead of moving the blade in a plane, such as 0-! (Fig. 2), the blade may be moved Single edge cage modification (Figs. 7-9) The modification illustrated in these figures employs a single edge of the blade, the cage, blade, and adjusting means being arranged to permit use with either hand.

7, As is indicated in Figs. 7 and of reference numerals is used, the handle 404' and the spine of the cage 403 are made of two pieces of sheet metal, one consisting of the lower half 406 of the handle, the lower transversely extending wings 408, the lower half 4111: of the spine and the lower half of a T-shaped portion thereof forming a part of a channel-shaped guideway 412, the other sheet metal part consisting of the upper half 407 of the handle, the upper transversely extending wings 413, the upper half 4 11b of the spine and the upper half of the T-shaped portion thereof forming another part of the channel-shaped guideway 412. The spine parts 411a and 411b are olfset on each side of the holder 422, as at 449a and 440b, respectively (Fig. 8), to provide an opening between spine parts through which the bladeholder assembly 401 may be moved for adjustment, or for removal of the blade. it will thus be seen that the inner surfaces of the tines define compartments 441a and 441b on respectively opposite sides of the blade.

The flanges of the two handle and the two corresponding halves of the guideway 412 are overlapped to provide bead joints as at 442 and 443, respectively, to facilitate assembly.

The spine parts 411a and llb are lipped as at A ida and 4441) to permit press fitting against the supported end portions of the wire ribs 430, which extend across the cutting edge of the blade 4&2. The wire ribs may be secured to the spine parts in any well known manner, such as by soldering, welding, or by being secured in snugly fitting slots and being locked thereto by upsetting the metal around the slots, as previously described. The ribs are rigidly secured in the desired spaced relationship, and may be further offset before attachment to the spine parts, as shown in Fig. 10, as hereafter described.

The wing sections 408 and 413 of the handle (Fig. 8) are shaped to form opposite sides, respectively, of a guideway designated generally as 414 into which a guided portion of the blade holder plate 422 exends, as will be hereinafter described. The guideway 412 (Fig. 7) provides the remaining end support for the blade holder.

The blade holder assembly dill (Fig. 7) is similar to those previously described and comprises a blade holder slide plate 422, clamp studs such as 425, provided with flanged heads such as 426, for removably supporting the blade 402 by means of the clamp plate 427 which has slots 423 for engaging the shanks of the clamp studs. A lateral edge 422a of the slide plate 422 is bent to overhang the face of the plate and one edge of the blade 403 to protect the user, should a double-edge blade be used in the hair cutter.

The blade holder plate is provided with a transversely extending gear rack 423 on one end thereof, an embossed guide which slides in the guideway 414 and which may be longitudinally slotted to permit alternate sections 8, where a: similar system 4 2-8 to be depressed, and intermediate section 449 to be raised to form a tubular guided portion fitting into the channel of the guideway 414. The guide with extending gear rack 423 fitting closely between wing sections 408 and 413, provides sufficient support to permit the holder plate 4-22 to be moved by the pinion 421, without jamming. The opposite or outer end 450 of the holder slide plate fitting into the guideway 412 maintains the plate holder assembly in accurate position at all times.

The lower and upper halves of the frame 404 are provided with suitable journals as at 415a and 415b to support the pinion shaft 416 of the pinion gear 421 disposed within the concavity of the handle parts. The two ends of the pinion shaft are affixed to adjusting knobs 405a and lllSb positioned outside of lower and upper handle parts, respectively, to drive the blade holder assembly in the desired direction, whether the hair cutter is being held by the right or left hand. A stop 451 (Fig. 7) may be provided to limit the movement of the blade holder to prevent the edge of the blade from touching the inside surface of the bights 433 of the wire ribs 430.

halves 406 and 4'37 of the 8 In the foregoing device, the openings 441a and 441!) formed on the back of the cage assembly provide a passageway through. which the cut hair passes freely outwardly of the cage or chambers defined by the ribs 430; The opening between the spines 411a and 411b also enables the blade holder to be projected therethrough where it will be held against movement by the gear rack and pinion to enable the blade to be reversed or replaced. The last tooth of the gear rack 423 may be upset, so that it will not pass the pinion. Thus the blade holder may be prevented from separating fromv the cage either by control of the adjusting knob, or permanently, so that the blade can be removed from a firmly supported blade holder through the opening 441.

Single edge slit cage modification (Fig. 10)

in Fig. 10, there is disclosed a modified form of single edge cage, wherein instead of the ribs extending from one side continuously across the cutting plane to the other side of the blade, the ribs on respectively opposite sides of the blade form separate series of tines designated 439a and 43% whose outer ends terminate closely adjacent the cutting path to provide a slit opening 4330 through which the blade edge may be projected. The blade holder assembly and handle are identical to that illustrated in Figs. 7-9, except for the following differences. The longitudinally extending spine parts 413a and 411d are here shown as being positioned somewhat closer together and are provided with lips 445a and 46% for clamping the tines in position. Tines, such as 436a and 4301), are secured respectively to the frame by means of the lips 445a and 345!: and in an identical manner. The tines are offset outwardly from the frame to provide oiiset portions, such as 437a and 4157b. The stop 451 illustrated in Fig. 7 may be employed in this embodiment to limit the exposure of the blade beyond the tine ends, such as 433b, or may be eliminated if desired so as to enable the hair cutter to function additionally as a razor.

in this modification, as well as in that Fig. 9, two sets of compartments are provided between the oppositely disposed series of tines and a blade positioned therebetween. In the present embodiment two passageways are provided from each compartment, such as the openings 441a and 441d between the spine parts 4110 and 411d and the intermediate holder and blade. and the other at the offset portions 437a and 43711, which offset portions provide the grid passageways facilitating the passage of hair therethrough in the manner previously described. The opening between the spines 411c and 4110. provides for removal of the holder in a manner similar to that previously described relative to Fig. 9.

Sheet metal cage (Figs. 11-13) illustrated in This embodiment is quite similar to the embodiment previously described with reference to Figs. 7-10, and only the parts differing therefrom will be described with particularity. To facilitate a ready understanding and comparison correspondingly similar parts will be designated by the same reference characters used in Figs. 7-10 with an added prime sufiix. The tines and supporting spine may be made of sheet metal. upper spine and tines is illustrated in Fig. ll, wherein the reference numeral 411i) designates the spine part or supporting frame having stamped tines 430i) extending therefrom. The tines are twisted at their roots so that the thickness of the metal determines the width of the tines. The teeth are substantially V-shaped, the top of the V constituting the base of the tine, and consequently the largest cross-sectional area of the tine is concentrated at the point of support with the spine where the greatest strength is required. Sheet metal tines so twisted are exceptionally strong and rigid and admirably suited for a hair cutter, when thin and strong tines are desired. The fiat development from which the tines are stamped is shown in Fig. 12, the teeth twisted, as shown in Figs. 11

A section of an and 13, creating an edge offset from the frame, which spaces the frame from the scalp a distance indicated as K permitting the unpressed hair to freely pass therebetween, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 13.

The spine parts 411a and tllb, oppositely positioned about the blade holder assembly 401', is illustrated in Fig. 13, the tines 430a and 430b' defining the cage 403, the ends 4330 and 43312 of the tines forming an opening to permit the forward edge of blade 402 to be positioned therebetween for close cutting.

The plan and side elevations of the assembled device and the general arrangement of parts are identical to the Double edge cage on one side of blade (Figs. 14, 14a and 14b) pose and that double ad ustment knobs or wheels facilitate adjustment by either hand while the device is in use.

the modification now to be described in connection with Figs. 14, 14a and 14b where both edges of the blade may be used and may be selectively adjusted to one or the other extremity of a double edge cage disposed entirely on one side of the cutting plane; such adjustment being effected by a single Wheel 505b. Only such features of this embodiment will be here described as are not shown in previous figures, reference being had especially to Figs. 7-10. A similar system of reference characters will be employed in Figs. 14, 14a and 14b, the five hundreds prefix being employed.

The cage comprises two sets of tines 530 and 530b formed as described above with reference to Figs. 11-13 and having a common spine 511 formed as a part of the handle. The inner end of the spine, at its juncture with the handle 504, providing the guideway designated in general as 514; and the outer end of the spine carrying the outer guideway 512. There is thus provided the broad advantages and benefits heretofore pointed out. A similar arrangement could be provided by using wire tines formed as described in connection with Figs. 1-9, with the outer extremities of the tines at or below the line CP. It is contemplated that the cage of Fig. 14 instead of being an extension of the sheet metal handle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8, or slidable longitudinally as is shown in Fig. 6, may be hinged at the outer guideway 512, or guideway 514, opening at the guideway opposite the hinge to permit cleaning the cage or removal of the blade, if the blade securing means is covered by the cage.

Simplified adjustment-sliding cage (Fig. 1 5

Instead of using positive adjusting means, such as the gear and rack mechanism heretofore described, there is shown in Fig. 15 a simplified slide adjustment with a thumb screw for locking the parts in retained position. In general, the tines are of the wire loop type employed in Figs. 1-6 and are similarly positioned in oppositely disposed groups for cooperative relationship with the cutting edges of a blade.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 15: the blade 602 is fixed in position by the blade position fixing means by being secured to the bottom side of the forwardly extending end of a handle or body 604 by means of a blade clamp plate 627. The cage 603 is provided with the rigid strips 631 and 632, as previously described, and the wire ribs 630 are flattened as at 679 on the opposite face of the cage and are seated in respectively corresponding parallel grooves provided in the top face of the body 604. A cage clamp plate 604a is provided on its inner face with corresponding grooves for receiving the ribs 630; the grooves being of suitable depth to provide a means of 10 firmly clamping the ribs in fixed position between the members 604 and 604a. An interiorly threaded stud 600 has its upper end riveted to the plate 604a and extends freely through registering bores in the body 604 and blade place the blade the screw and plate 627 are removed, the new blade may then be substituted. It is to be noted particularly that in this modification with the cage set in one extreme fixed position, such as indicated by the broken lines, one edge of the blade is disposed for cutting the hair short and the other for cutting the hair long, i. e., both edges of the blade are in operative position.

I am enabled in the various modifications illustrated, to accomplish the various objects of my invention with either a single edge or double edge blade. By providing a hollow compartment between the inner surfaces of the tines and the cutting edge of the blade, the cut hair is freed avoiding the front of the cage to permit a uniform and safe cutting edge. The movement of the cut hair through the hollow cage is facilitated by a passageway, whereby the cut hair may emerge from the back thereof in the natural direction of movement. In the modifications (Figs. 2, 4, 10 and 13), the tines are offset from the supporting frame forming such a passageway and additionally allowing the hair to pass freely between the narrow tines and when of sufiicient length to rise naturally due to its own resiliency to the height of the edge of the blade where it may be cut to the desired length.

In each modification, the blade holder or blade positionsecuring the blade to the blade positioning means only,

of the blade.

While the general arrangement of my hair cutter makes desirable the use of wire tines, I have illustrated a sheet metal cage which provides the desirable hollow compartment for the dual purpose of freeing the cut hair from the blade, and permitting the hair to pass therefrom either between the tines in the offset area, or through the frame in the opening between the blade holder and the cage. The twisted tines of sheet metal have the additional advantage of being as desirably thin as the sheet metal itself and of enabling the offset to be formed in the twisting by properly shaping the tines. The twisted teeth are unusually strong for a sheet metal construction and the unexpected additional advantages derived make it eminently suitable for my purposes.

The construction of a cage with a substantially rectangular open frame from one side of which depend the tines as is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 provides a superior hair cutter, in that the cage construction permits use in either hand and also maximum ease of blade removal through the open frame. The passageway for the removal of the cut hair may also provide space for the blade holder to be projected therethrough. Such construction is adapted for tines of any type, whether made of wire, sheet metal or of moulded material. The offsets moved by the adjusting knob to a position immediately adjacent the outermost portion of the tines for closecutting or even for shaving when the cutting zone is extended beyond the tines, as may be done in some modifications. Thus, the hair on the legs may be removed with the hair cutter, if desired.

Having thus described my invention with particularity with reference to preferred forms, and having described and referred to certain modifications, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and other modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I- aim in the appended claims to cover such changes and modifications as are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A hair cutter comprising a blade position fixing means adapted to position a cutting blade with an edgein a selected cutting position, and a guard, said position fixing means and guard being operatively'interconnected, saidguard comprising a frame from which a plurality of spaced apart ribs project having inner surfaces which incline toward a side of a positioned blade to form therewith a hollow compartment and outer surfaces forming a plane for supporting the cutter on the hair in proper position for cutting in substantially all cutting positions of the blade, the outermost portions of the ribs forming the front of the guard, the guard and blade position fixing means being relatively adjustable to efiect relative transverse movement between a positioned blade and the guard, means for retaining the guardand positioned blade in any one of a plurality of selected transverse cutting positions, one position wherein the cutting edge is in close proximity to the outermost portions of the ribs, and another position wherein the cutting edge is spaced apart a substantial distance from both the inner surfaces of the ribs and transversely from the' outermost portions of the ribs, said blade position fixing means and guard being constructed and arranged so as to maintain the cutting edge of the blade and the front of the guard in continuous parallel position with each other throughout the relative transverse movement between the guard and blade position fixing means.

2. The hair cutter of claim 1 whereinthe blade position fixing means comprises a blade support including means for securing a blade thereto.

3. The hair cutter of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the ribs are spaced from said blade position fixing means throughout their entire extent transversely of said blade position fixing means.

4. The hair cutter of claiml wherein the blade position fixing means is adapted to position a double edge cutting blade with its cutting edges extending in oppositely disposed directions in selected cutting edge zones, the ribs extending towards both cutting edge zones to form a plurality of hollow compartments with the blade.

5. The hair cutter of claim 1 wherein the ribs comprise parallel wire portions extending respectively across said cutting edge in a direction normal to the plane of the blade.

6. The, hair cutter of claim 1 providedwith a handle and spaced guideways, whereinv the blade position fixing means comprises. clamp plates and fastening means for detachably holding a cutting blade and forms one assembly, and. the guard formsanother assembly, one of the assemblies. being rigidly secured to said handle, and the other of said assemblies being slidably disposed insaid guideways for providing adjustment between the position ofthe blade edge and guard.

7. The hair cutter of claim. 1 wherein the rear of the hollow compartment is provided with an open passageway extending in the same direction as the plane of the blade to. facilitate the hair passing into the compartment to emerge therefrom.

8. The hair cutter of claim 1 wherein the outer surfaces of. the ribs on one side of the blade are disposed at an angle of' not less than 10 nor more than 45 with the side of the blade.

9.. The hair cutter of claim 1 wherein the frame is positioned entirely on the. same side of the positioned blade as the ribs project.

10.. The hair cutter of claim 1 wherein the guard is 7 provided with a longitudinally extending opening through which the. blade may be inserted and removed from its position: fixing means in any position of the blade and guard.

11. The hair. cutter-of claim 1. wherein the frame is openly spaced from, said blade. position fixing means substantially throughout its length.

12. The. hair cutter of claim 1- wherein each of the ribs is offset transversely from its frame section and outwardly from the positioned. blade to provide a passageway for the hair between ribs along said offset.

13. The hair cutter of claim 1' wherein the frame includes rigid supporting means for its projecting ribs, said rigid supporting means being axially slidably mounted so as to provide fordetachment ofvthe ribs from said blade position fixingmeans.

14. The hair cutter of claim 1 wherein the ribs and frame are; openly spaced apart. fromv the blade position fixing means through substantially their length across said sideof the positioned blade.

15; The hair cutter of claim 1 wherein all the ribs of said guard are disposed entirely on one side of the positioned blade, and means for holding the hair cutter so that the outer inclined surfaces of the ribs may form a body engagingsupport, throughout. their lengths when in use.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

